Sing A Little Song For Me
by lunastars
Summary: "Daryl tried to hold her up. The only thought racing through his mind was that he couldn't drop her. She needed him and this time he wasn't going to fail her." - SPOILERS FOR 5x08 'CODA'


**WARNING: **spoilers for 5x08 – 'Coda'

_nope, I'm still not over it._

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><p>Daryl tried to hold her up. The only thought racing through his mind was that he couldn't drop her. She needed him and this time he wasn't going to fail her. As gently as he could he shifted her up a bit. He tried not to look at Maggie who had collapsed to the floor screaming at the sight. Glenn was there, holding onto her, trying to push his own feelings aside so that he could be there for her. Rick looked determinedly ahead and it only faltered when Michonne came closer carrying Judith, and Carl was in tow.<p>

Daryl didn't look at Carl. He had seen everyone's face break in that hospital and he couldn't see Carl's do the same thing. Tyrese and Sasha stood to one side with Carol and Noah was stood to the other side with his bag dropped at his feet. Although they never met her Abraham, Rosita, Eugene and Tara looked away respectfully and even they looked distraught.

Maggie was slowly climbing to her feet by the time Daryl's eyes rested on her again. With Glenn hovering close by she made her way over to where Daryl was. He wanted so much to not look her in the eye but he knew he had to. Her chest was heaving, trying to hold back an outburst.

"Who did this?" Her voice was quiet but determined.

"I took care of it," Daryl told her.

"Give her to me," Maggie said as she looked down at Beth.

"She's…" He didn't want to say heavy but she was. She wasn't that light weight girl he easily picked up or carried on his back. No, she was dead weight now and it only made what had happened dawn on him more.

"I don't care," she said as if reading his mind. "I want my sister."

Glenn nodded at Daryl from behind Maggie. Slowly Daryl moved Beth over to Maggie's waiting arms. The weight (physically or emotionally) was definitely too much and he kept a tight grip as he and Maggie slowly sunk to the ground with Beth between them. When he was sure she wouldn't be dropped or get hurt Daryl slipped his arms away and sat back on the ground.

Maggie held Beth in her arms. She brought Beth into her lap and cradling her almost like you would a baby. She pressed her forehead against Beth's and started to sing softly. Glenn sat close by but Daryl couldn't do it. He pushed himself up and started to walk away. He had no direction in mind, he just kept walking.

"Wait!" He ignored Carol as she came after him, calling for him. "Daryl, please, just slow down."

She sounded wheezy and he realised that although she seemed okay she was still hit by a car. He turned around and tried his best not to glare at her as she got close enough. "_What?_"

"It's not your fault," she told him, looking him over. "I can see you blame yourself. I know how much you cared for Beth. The way you stepped forward and shot Dawn like that. You didn't even hesitate, you just _did_. And how no questions about it you just crouched down and scooped her up. I can see how much Beth meant to you and you have to know this isn't your fault."

"No, it is," Daryl disagreed with her. "I was horrible to her. It don't matter that we settled all that, I said some horrible shit to her. You know I told her she would never see Maggie again. Guess I was right, huh?"

"You didn't mean that," Carol said softly. "I know you didn't."

"Even if I didn't, we got back on good terms and then I let them take her." He turned away. He was frustrated with himself, not Carol and he didn't want to take this out on her. "If I had just stuck with her or got there quicker then she never would have been here."

"Trust me, she had to be in danger or hurt for them to take her." He glanced back at her, that didn't make him feel better at all. "If you had gotten to her first then who knows what would have happened. Her being here meant she got the treatment she needed."

"At least if she were with me she would have been safe and I could've said goodbye."

He didn't even realise that was one of the issues until he said it. Seeing her and Carol alive and well had made him feel relieved. When they both got to their side of the exchange he thought everything would be okay. He hadn't even gotten to hold her and make sure she was really there. He didn't even get a word out. She was taken from him and he didn't really get to have her back.

Determinedly he moved passed Carol and went back to the others. Everyone was still almost exactly where they had been when he walked off. Nobody looked up or said a word as he went over and crouched down in front of Maggie and Beth.

"Thank you for being with her," Maggie said suddenly as she looked up at him. "After the prison. I know you got split up but thank you for not leaving her and taking her with you."

Daryl nodded his head. "She gave as good as he got, she was strong."

"We need to find somewhere nice for her."

He shuffled closer and slowly moved his arms out. Maggie looked between him and Beth like she didn't want Beth to be taken but eventually she let Daryl lift Beth up. As he stood up and adjusted her softly in his arms everyone else stood and gathered together. As they moved over to the fire engine some of them had arrived in Daryl found himself naively hoping that Beth would giggle and give away some kind of sick joke or that she would wrap her arms around him and grin at being carried.

She didn't though. She continued to lay heavy in his arms, leaving Daryl wishing that they could have stayed safe together in a place where she could play the piano and sing her songs. A place where he could be selfish enough to wish that they were alone and protected from the horrors of the world. If he was being honest, right now any place would be preferable as long as it had Beth Greene in it.

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><p><em>R&amp;R<em>


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